Fracture Mechanics Validity Limits and Physical Evidence of Constraint in Fracture

The consideration of fracture behavior should be a matter of vital concern in current design efforts. Many materials exhibit grossly different behavior when discontinuities are present in the structure. These may be inherent in the material or may stem from poor manufacturing, handling, and /or design practices. Inclusion of fracture behavior in the design models is the subject of fracture mechanics. Ultimately, a knowledge of fatigue and fracture becomes very important in avoiding disaster.